The Fantails
by Comedienne
Summary: The Fantails are in big trouble. Their leader has just been killed and his killers intend on starting a war with them. They are vastly outmatched and utterly unprepared. Out of desperation, a member of The Fantails approaches the league. But she demands to speak only to their 'sidekicks'. They eventually agree to assist. Contains no OCxRegular character pairing. Rated T for safety.
1. Meltwater

**Kaldur's POV**

I was surprised when a few league members entered the cave. Superman and Batman were among them. They had with them a girl of our age. The league members were speaking in hushed, yet aggressive, tones. They were in fierce disagreement. The girl was obviously making demands; that the league weren't keen to allow. She spoke often, and with a confrontational tone. She had an unusual accent. She placed the stresses in words on entirely different vowels, when she did bother to let them be heard. The words were shortened in a very foreign way. Instead of 'Where did you get that?' you would hear 'Weirdyagetthat?' It struck me as odd that she had a very good grasp of English, even though she clearly wasn't American or English. The voice didn't coincide with any land, or ocean, accents I had heard. While she was speaking with league members, we'd only been told who she was. We were told nothing else. Batman left the group. He approached the team, with the girl in tow.

"She'll only speak to you." Batman said. "Keep an eye on her." He left without saying anything more.

"Nice to meet you." She said. Kid flash was the first to meet her.

"Sooooo...where are you from?" Kid flash asked.

"Hamilton." She answered briefly. "Got any fizzy?" She walked past us to the kitchen.

"Fizzy?" I was confused. M'gann seemed not to understand either. The foreign girl slapped a hand to her forehead; she let the hand fall slowly down her face. She had realised something.

"Soda?"She said. Her voice was full of exasperation. Robin was the quickest to offer an answer.

"Top left cupboard. Hamilton? There are a few of those. You'll have to be more specific." He said shrewdly. He probably already knew which Hamilton she meant.

"Mighty Waikato...Melville area." She answered without turning.

"For my friends who aren't so geographically inclined you might have to specify the country." Robin was correct. Many of us still didn't understand where exactly this girl was from.

"I'm kiwi...from NZ." Instead of saying 'Zee' she pronounced it 'Zed'. She grabbed a soda from the cupboard.

"NZ?"Wally asked. He copied the way she had said 'Zed'.

"New Zealand, Aotearoa, land of the long white cloud. North Island." She opened the soda.

"Island?"Wally had a confused look on his face.

"Yeah. Pass me a globe...or something." She put the soda down on the bench.

"Wally, there's a globe in my stuff. Can you get it?" Robin asked.

"Sure." He was back in a couple of seconds. He tossed the girl the globe. She turned it around in her hands.

"Just there." She pointed to a group of small green shapes. The girl passed the globe to Wally, still pointing out the shapes.

"Tiny." Wally muttered.

"Not really." The girl replied. She leaned her body against the kitchen counter. "You guys might not know all that much about me but I'm pretty confused about you too. For one, you haven't even asked my name. For another, I don't even know what to call you guys."

"We'll introduce ourselves later. We already know your name. You were known as Glacier when you first got your powers. You're a Fantail now and known as Meltwater, you're real name is Jessie. We'd like to know more about you and the Fantails." Robin said.

"Dude...that is a little stalker-ish." The girl Meltwater said.

"Rob in a nutshell." Wally laughed.

"I'm surprised you know so much about us Fantails, and about me. We tend to keep to ourselves." She still seemed very confident.

"The information I've got is sketchy. You've been described as a group of dangerous vigilantes or a meta-gang. I'm not sure that's true." Robin revealed.

"Admittedly, we're not conventional law enforcement. We just help where we can. People tend not to react so well to our powers. The superhero concept is pretty new to New Zealand. Consequently, we keep a low profile." Meltwater said.

"For a group keeping a low profile, you certainly get a lot of negative press." Wally looked shocked by the information.

"Wally!" Artemis shoved Wally in the ribs.

"Ow." He groaned.

"Yeah, I suppose we do." She scratched her head, thinking. "I guess we just...refuse to play by the rules. We won't hide who we are just to please others."

"I wish we could function with that much nonchalance." Wally whined.

"We're covert Wally. It would never work. Besides, the league wouldn't hear of it." Robin said.

"They did seem pretty staunch." The girl admitted. She shrugged.

"I'm surprised you didn't cave and just cooperate with them." Wally said.

"They're too acclimatised to the big time, too detached from us small time supers, to be of much help. They'll have little thought for our ways of doing things...plus, I'm stubborn." She picked up her soda again. "So...tell me about yourselves. Then, and only then, will I tell you why I'm here." She blew an icy breath down the neck of the bottle. The glass was coated in a thin layer of frost. Robin raised an eyebrow while Wally gawped. "I like my drinks cold." She explained as if it was as simple as that. The team remained silent; we were weary of the stranger. Wally shook himself out of his stunned state.

"Come on Aqualad, introduce the team." He said to me. I looked to the others, no one offered any objections.

"Okay." I gestured to our youngest member first. "That's Robin."

"Ah, the boy wonder, I figured as much. No one else would dress like that. Mostly because of the fear of being sued. The red robin name is more closely guarded by your mentor than you'd think." She shook Robin's hand vigorously while she laughed. Robin chuckled as well.

"True." Robin said. "Batman is a staunch one." I gestured to Wally.

"This is Kid Flash."

"Hey. I'm Wally." Meltwater looked him up and down. Her eyes came to rest at his head.

"Nice hair. Snap." She tugged at her own short orange hair. "Mine's dyed." She revealed.

"It suits you perfectly." Wally said.

"Over there, is Superboy." I interrupted. The clone just nodded. "That is Miss Martian."

"It's nice to meet you." The Martian girl said chirpily.

"The archer is Artemis... I am Aqualad..." I gestured to myself. "And welcome to the cave."


	2. Frosting Up

**Jessie's POV**

The Atlantian was doubtful of my ability to be trusted, I could just tell. However, it was his distrust of me which had earned my respect almost immediately. He was obviously very protective of his team. That was something I could understand. The thing that did throw me was how serious he was. I'd had the impression that Atlantians were very amiable and hospitable. Kaldur obviously wanted the stranger in his midst to disappear.

However, as far as I could tell, the rest of the team took to me well enough. Kid Flash, Wally, had been sociable from the word 'Go!' and M'gann had been spritely and enthusiastic. Robin too had been kind, though it was Superboy who truly surprised me. The clone had lugged my bags into the cave, though it was probably on M'gann's suggestion. Whatever their thoughts of me were, they were about to change.

**Kaldur's POV**

I had no solid reason to doubt her. She'd done nothing to indicate any malicious intent, though she seemed distant. For someone who'd come halfway across the world, she seemed... almost... uninterested in us. Though apparently the fantails need help, which I should feel no hesitation in offering, but I feel as though...I don't know...there's more to this intrusion than she's letting on. There's something the league isn't telling us.

"There have been enough formalities. Why are you here?" I decided to ask her bluntly. She sighed and placed her frosty bottle onto the bench. She stepped forward and took my hand. Reaching into her coat she pulled out a tape and pressed it into my palm.

"I think you should watch this." There was a strange tone her voice. "Then you can believe whatever you like about us."

**The Tape**

"We...have sent you fantails multiple warnings. You...knew this was coming." A shadowed figure stated in a sinister whisper. "As far as we are concerned...our safety is paramount...and you are a threat to us." He gestured to an unseen person then continued to speak. "Your methods are...far too...disruptive...to our...activities." He gestured again to his unseen help. A young man was dumped at the shadowy figures feet. "If I let you...continue this disruption...it may continue forever...Most troublesome. The only solution I can see...is to...remove the disturbance entirely. Fantails...you face extinction...Warfare isn't your style, what hope do you have, but survival of the fittest...and all that." He shoved his boot into the young man at his feet. "You have a month." His unseen help placed a blade into his hands. "Hopefully you can find a replacement for this..." He gestured to the person under his boot. "...in that time." The blade fell and severed the young man's head from his body. "He's really quite pathetic."

**A telepathic conversation**

*Wally* - Who was that guy in the shadows?

*Artemis* - What did that guy mean? 'Find a replacement' who was that guy?

*Robin* - Warfare?

*Conner* - A month?

*Kaldur* - Enough. Meltwater told us she would explain. We should let her.

**Jessie's POV**

I watched the looks pass between them. No doubt the Martian girl had them linked up. They were obviously speaking telepathically. The Atlantian boy stood and walked over to me. He placed one of his webbed hands gently onto my shoulder.

"Meltwater, what is this about?" His voice was gentle, even. It contained something I neither wanted nor expected. It contained pity. I felt a painful cold fill my chest and sinuses. I'd wanted to hold myself together, but I could already feel my eyes frosting up.

**Kaldur's POV**

She shrugged my hand from her shoulder and walked away. Meltwater folded her arms around her body.

"We need help." She turned. "I need help." She stared at me with frosty lenses to her goggles. "I need to know if I can get it from you." She seemed to be addressing me more than the others. "Can I be sure of your teams help?"

"The league decides..."

"I asked you a question Atlantian. Answer me. Yes or no? Will your team assist? If not then I am wasting my time."

"We'll need more information."

"I'll tell you all you need to know, but right now all you need to know is that they murdered my friend!" The girl was yelling now. Behind her goggles, frozen angry tears fell. She pulled her goggles away from her eyes to let the ice drops fall out. They shattered at her feet. Her goggles snapped back over her eyes. "They murdered my friend." Her voice cracked. "They murdered my friend." The phrase fell to a whisper. Her legs gave way and she fell to the floor in a sobbing heap.

**Robin's POV**

I watched as Meltwater continued to shake violently. I was the first to realise that her convulsions were no longer from her emotional outburst.

"Cold..." The word escaped her throat in a rasp.

"Quick! She's overcooling." If her powers could function the way I thought they could...

"What?" I'd heard Wally's voice but I was already at Meltwater's side.

"She isn't letting enough cold escape. Ice crystals are being created internally, rather than externally. She's is shutting herself down, from the inside out." A rasping sound was made as Meltwater attempted to speak.

"Too much..."

"She's creating ice faster than she can control it. She's bottling it up so as to keep us safe. It'll kill her. Wally, can you try to warm her up?"

"I can try. Why?"

"You need to break up some of the ice crystals. It'll give us some time. Kaldur, we'll need some sort of sedative, hopefully that will stop the ice production." He just nodded and ran.

"Okay." Wally enveloped the freezing girl. I could see his image start to go fuzzy as he started to vibrate his molecules. "God that's cold." Wally hated the cold. He looked at me. "Will this actually help?"

"Probably, err, I think so. That or you'll end up frozen too."

"That's really encouraging Rob." Ice was already creeping onto his arms and over his chest. I could tell his was fighting his urge to panic. "Err, Rob?"

"M'gann, I need you to try and calm her. This episode is caused by emotional distress. Find what will be most comforting for her." M'gann started to search Meltwater's mind.

"Err, Rob?" I ignored Wally. He'd be fine...

"Artemis?"

"Err, yeah."

"Take Superboy and set up the medical bay."

"Okay." The pair left for the medical bay.

"M'gann, have you made any progress?" She scrunched up her eyebrows.

"Ugh, her mind is so...Wait. I've got something." M'gann's eyes suddenly opened.

"What?" I asked

"Music, play some music."

"Really? Music will calm her?" I looked over at Wally. His lips had turned purple and a thin layer of ice covered most of his body.

"Yes."

**Kaldur's POV**

When I returned, music was playing. I didn't have time to ask why. I shoved a syringe into Robin's hand.

"It's tranquiliser." Robin didn't turn.

"How long will it keep her under?"

"She'll only be out for a couple of hours." I answered.

"That's all the time we need." He plunged the syringe into Meltwater's flesh. After its contents were emptied into Meltwater's bloodstream, Robin removed the syringe. It was several moments before the sedative took effect. Meltwater's previously rigid body went fluid in Wally's arms. The speedster exhaled sharply. The ice covering his body was already starting to break up

"M'gann, move Meltwater to the medical bay." Robin called.

"Okay." She lifted the unconscious girl using her telekinesis.

"Wally, you'll need to be taken to the medical bay too." I said.

"Why? I feel fine." His body was still shuddering from the cold.

"Can you get up?" Robin asked snidely.

"No."

"Your legs are numb. Aren't they?" Robin asked.

"Yes."

"Come on." Robin hauled the older boy onto his shoulder.


	3. Jess

**Jessie's POV**

My senses came back to me slowly, one by one. The first to return to me was feeling. I could feel a warm hand on my shoulder, even through my coat. Then my hearing came back.

"Hey...Hey...can you hear me?" I tried to answer, but my mobility hadn't returned yet. I could feel warm breath in my ear. "OY!" I still couldn't move quite yet. "Dang it. I thought that would work."

"Ow." My voice came out croaky and weak. "Did you have to mutilate my ear drums?"

"Ah, welcome back to consciousness." It was Wally who had yelled in my ear...figures.

"Hell of a welcome." I cleaned out my ears to try to get the ringing sound to stop.

"You're welcome."

"That wasn't a thank you, idiot." The redhead just shrugged.

"So...how do you feel?"

"Blind. You really shouldn't have the lights so bright in here. You'll have patients thinking they're dead...moving towards the light and all that." I rubbed at my eyes.

"Good to know you've got a sense of humour." When my eyes refocused, I noticed how beaten up Wally looked.

"Dude, you look terrible."

"That's what happens when you almost get turned into an ice cube!"

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that."

"You numbed my legs!" He snapped

"Ooh, that's harsh." I knew what it was like. I'd been completely unable to move during my 'episode'.

"I know!"

"Well if it's any consolation...it made a difference."

"What?"

"You managed to break up some of the ice crystals."

"I'm glad to know Rob was right. Otherwise, I might have been frozen for no reason."

"Hmm right." We sat in silence for a moment.

"Jess." Wally said quietly. Only my sister really called me Jess.

"Hmm."

"Your friend, the one on the footage, you were close? Weren't you?"

"Yes." Wally was being quite blunt, but I appreciated it. It's a certain type of person who will give it to you straight.

"How close?"

"Very."

"It's more than that. One word answers won't cut it, Jess." I was thinking of saying he didn't need that information, until he'd said 'Jess'.

"He...was more of a teacher, than a friend. Older than me."

"A parent almost."

"Yeah." Wally, for all he was a joker, was being very perceptive.

"How old was he?"

"Nineteen." My hands curled into fists. "Only a year or two out of high school...He was studying...said he wanted to be a teacher. I always thought it was stupid, cause he kinda already was one." I exhaled. Wally chuckled slightly.

"Sounds like a nice guy."

"He was. His name was Kieran." I paused for a moment. "I don't expect your team to fight for us. We like doing things ourselves. It's just...we don't exactly know how. Some of us can fight, but not all. The enemy we face is just too big. We need all hands."

"Your group needs training?"

"Yes, and we've got less than a month, but we also need to find a new leader first."

"How do the Fantails decide who their leader is going to be?"

"Kieran...left me some stuff. This was in it." I pulled out Kieran's note to me and passed it to Wally. I watched in silence while he read.


	4. Kieran's Note

**Kieran's note**

_I know that by the time you read this they will have come for me. I had wanted to protect the Fantails but I know that I have not been successful. You will all be in danger and I know that I will not be there to help you. One Fantail must replace me. There are few who I would trust, you are one. I know that you may not want my position so I have chosen Ian, Anthony and Colin to be candidates also, but I must stress that the Fantails decide. I wish you to organise a vote. I am sure an appropriate leader will be found._

**Wally's POV**

"The other three...Who are they?"

"Ian Dirks – Sixteen, talented...a little cold, but a good guy. Anthony Masters – Also sixteen, charismatic, care-free. Colin Evans – Fifteen...He's bright, and analytical, but also compassionate."

"Are they friends of yours?" I moved closer.

"Anthony and Colin are. Ian...Like I said, a little cold...But we get on fine."

"Really...?" I'd caught her tone.

"We tolerate each other. He's all business, even off duty, it kinda bugs me."

"Ah..."

"What?"

"...Nothing." I raised my hands in attempt to surrender. Suddenly, M'gann burst through the door.

"Is she awake? I heard voices!"

"Yes! She is awake! Thank you very much! Jeez, what is with you Americans? You're so loud. Does everything have to be a drama with you lot?" Rob showed up at this point.

"Unfortunately, yes." He leaned against the door frame. Meltwater's eyes widened. "What?"

"My goggles, where are they?" She frantically searched around her while covering her eyes. I chuckled but fought the urge to laugh.

"It took you this long to realise you weren't wearing them."

"Shut up!" She whacked me on the shoulder. "Seeing someone masked reminded me...Where are they?" She peaked between her fingers. I saw a flash of blue eye. "There!" I stood up.

"I'll get them." I placed them into her outstretched hand.

"Thanks." She pulled them over her eyes once more.

"Hello Megan!" M'gann slapped her hand onto her forehead. "Your uniform is all wet from the ice. You should change into something else."

"I have a change in my luggage."

"Which bag?" I asked.

"It's in the little one." I returned with the suitcase as quick as I could.

"Here." I placed it at the end of her bed. M'gann then shooed us all out.


	5. Strange Friends

**Wally's POV**

As we walked away from the medical bay, Artemis fell into step with me.

"So?" She started. A moment passed. "What's your take on this?" She asked.

"How do you mean?"

"Well, she seems a bit of a damsel in distress if you ask me? I mean, she just suddenly appears and expects us to fight in a battle against these guys who killed her friend...seems a little selfish if you ask me." There was underlying venom in Artemis' tone.

"Well, if you ask me, she's under pressure and running out of options...She's desperate...and she doesn't want us to fight those guys. She said as much to me."

"Well then, what does she want us to do?" Artemis sounded utterly confused.

"She wants us to train The Fantails, to prepare them for what's coming."

"Train them?"

"Yes. Apparently not all of them are combat-ready."

"Why would she ask us? We're only teenagers. Why not ask the league?" The words came in a long stream.

"From the sounds of it, The Fantails aren't as experienced as we are. Also, according to her, the young man who was killed on that tape...well, he was their leader."

"But he didn't look that old?" Her eyebrows furrowed.

"He was nineteen apparently."

"Their leader was only nineteen?"

"Yes. And as for why she didn't ask the league...well, she's already told us that much. She doesn't think they'll understand the way their group is run." Artemis looked thoughtful for a moment. Then she spoke.

"Well, if that was their leader that was killed...who's their leader now?" I passed Artemis the note that Jess had showed me.

"Either her, or one of those three."

"The other three...they're all guys." Figures Artemis would hone in on that...

We waited in the lounge room for Jess to reappear. I was slouching on the sofa, while Artemis sat on the armrest. The rest of the team were scattered about the room, but I noted that Kaldur remained standing. His eyebrows were furrowed. Before I could further muse on Kaldur's odd concentration Jess walked out of the corridor. She stepped out wearing civilian clothes. The colour scheme was monochrome, only black and white or grey, similar to her uniform. She was an image of denim and leather. She gestured to herself.

"It was all I had with me." She shrugged. She'd swapped her goggles out for a pair of aviator sunglasses.

"Ugh, don't tell me you're doing the 'nobody can see my eyes' thing too." The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. Jess walked over to the couch and leant over me.

"Nah." She pulled her sunglasses down her nose. Her icy blue gaze met mine over the frames. "I just think they make me look cool." She straightened and flicked one end of her black-and-white stripe scarf over her shoulder. She folded her arms across her chest in a parody of a thuggish pose. "MLV represent." I couldn't help but laugh and she in turn busted into a lopsided grin.

"What's MLV?" Superboy asked gruffly from where he was leaning against a wall.

"It's an abbreviation for Melville that Melville high uses...My school."

**Kaldur's POV**

I watched their banter for a little while before I cleared my throat, effectively halting the conversation.

"We are getting off topic."

"We are, aren't we?" Jessie said. The playful glint in her eye and the humour in her voice disappeared quickly.

"You've asked for our help."

"Yes..." She looked up again. "Not only are there a bunch of warmongering dogs at our doorstep, there's also the matter of replacing Kieran. When The Fantails learn of Kieran's death, his carefully constructed order will crumble." She sighed. "I'm the only one that knows. I'm going to have to break the bad news and I'm going to have to organise the vote. It'd be nice to have you onside. I mean, even in New Zealand you're well-known, and, of course, we'd need someone impartial to oversee everything." She waited expectantly for a response. I decided to phrase my answer thoughtfully.

"What you ask of us is neither impossible nor unreasonable. We shall assist." She clapped excitedly before enveloping me in a vigorous hug. I was uncomfortable. I could tell Robin had noticed my discomfort, because I could see him smirking slightly over Meltwater's shoulder. "It is wise to have friends in many places." I choked out. She finally released me.

"Oh thank you, thank you. Thank you so much." She then vigorously hugged Wally, who patted her on the head. It was then Robin's turn to be caught in her forceful embrace. Because of his smaller size she even lifted him off the ground.

"Please put me down." He managed to say.

"Sorry." Jessie promptly set him down. "I'm just...it's so...I don't know." She shrieked and started doing this sort of excited victory dance. The Fantails would make very strange friends indeed.


	6. No Cure Like Travel

**Robin's POV**

Even though the team was eager to help we still had to convince our mentors that the mission was a good idea.

"You can't just go running off to New Zealand...and certainly not for that long!" Flash exclaimed.

"I agree. What would warrant the entire team?" Batman asked. I took a breath.

"Diplomacy would warrant the entire team."

"I believe it would be wise to establish connections with The Fantails." Kaldur brought forward.

"And why would that be?" Bats said in his gruff voice.

"Because if the other Fantails have power like what Meltwater has..." Wally trailed off.

"You believe she's that powerful?" Batman questioned.

"I believe she has influence." Wally answered.

"Influence?"

"I'd rather have her as an ally than an enemy. By the sounds of it, she's got a lot of contacts. When we're getting our butts kicked it'd be nice to be able to get some backup." Wally shrugged.

"They do have a point." Flash butted in. Kaldur stepped forward again.

"I also believe that it would be appropriate to take Zatanna." At that Zatara spoke up.

"My daughter..."

"Wait a minute Zatara." Batman started. "You say this is a diplomatic mission."

"Yes." Kaldur nodded.

"Why take Zatanna?" There was a small pause.

"Because otherwise I'll feel left out." Zatanna stepped out of the shadows. She was pouting with her arms crossed over her chest. "Come on, it's a diplomatic mission...no fighting."

"It would be valuable experience Zatara." Batman suggested.

"I suppose you are correct." Zatara admitted.

It's funny how when Batman suggests something it usually happens.


	7. Follow Me

**Zatanna's POV**

I love my father dearly, but there was no way I was going to miss this trip. So I'd gathered my gear and met with the others in the cave.

"Well, since there are no zeta tubes we can use, we'll have to take the bio-ship. It'll be a long trip, but we can make some cool stops along the way." M'gann told us all cheerfully.

"Well let's go then! The sooner we leave the sooner we arrive you know?" Robin replied. It was only minutes later that M'gann requested that the bay doors be opened. A couple of hours into the first leg of our flight Meltwater pulled out an iPod and some earphones. I noticed that, although the case and wires were black, the ear buds were bright green. It was the only colour I'd seen on her. Robin spoke up.

"What are you listening to?" He asked. Meltwater hesitated.

"Um...Sister, by Icehouse." She admitted reluctantly.

"Icehouse! Are you serious?" Wally burst into a laughing fit. "Ice-House. Ice." He began laughing again.

"Shut up, Wally." Robin said. He turned to Meltwater. "Any songs I should listen to by them?"

"Definitely." She smirked. "Try 'Girl in the moon'." She said chuckling.

Many hours and many stops later, New Zealand came into view. I had thought that Meltwater would react to being back over her own country but it was only when we saw a peculiar looking tower that she finally spoke.

"That's Auckland's sky tower. It takes a couple of hours to get to Hamilton from here, but we should be faster as the crow, err bio-ship, flies." M'gann nodded at Meltwater. It was dark by the time we reached Hamilton. M'gann then turned off our camouflage.

"We'll want the Fantails to notice our arrival." She explained. Meltwater guided us to the campus of a local school. She pointed to a wooden structure covered in vines.

"That's the dome. You can put the bio-ship to rest under there." Once we had landed we all stepped out of the ship. We were eager to stretch our legs. The air was crisp but it wasn't too cold. Meltwater turned to us again. "You guys just stay here. I should go give them a heads up." She jogged off, and headed further into the school.

"Err sounds good." Wally called after her. "So this is fun..."

**Meltwater's POV**

I ran full pelt around the corner. I decided to head for the sick bay. I knew Colin could be found there. When I reached the door I pounded upon it.

"COLIN! OPEN UP!" When he did open the door I was met with his confused expression.

"Jess?"

"I'll explain later. Do you think you can get everyone to the hall?"

"I suppose so. Why?"

"Oh, and I need you, Anthony and Ian to meet me in the KM room."

"What?"

"Just do it, and quick." I ran back to Kaldur's team.

"That was fast." Robin commented.

"No it wasn't." Wally said, though Artemis jabbed him in the ribs after the fact. "Ow."

"Follow me.", was all I said. Now came the hard part.


	8. Three Voices

**Robin's POV**

After arriving at a door labelled Konica Minolta Meltwater turned to us.

"You guys should wait out here." She said seriously. She entered the room and closed the door behind her. Despite that, we could still hear.

"Where the hell have you been?" A new male voice yelled.

"Give her a chance to talk." A calmer male voice answered.

"Well sorry if I'm suspicious. She randomly disappears, around the same time Kieran did, and then returns alone." The aggressive voice spits back.

"As far as I can tell she hasn't returned alone, not with Kieran though. He always was too calm to give off much. He could've died and I wouldn't have noticed." A third male voice added.

"Kieran's dead." Meltwater's voice stated.

"What?" The previously aggressive voice faltered. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"I kept quiet because he was beheaded...on tape." The distinct sound of the tape clattering across a table was heard. "This was a deliberate act designed to destabilise us."

"It was an act of war, Jess." The calm voice said.

"Yes." She said simply.

"So you thought that disappearing on us was a suitable way to react to this." The aggression returned to the voice of the angered male.

"We're not prepared for this; you know that, especially without Kieran. His chain of command is broken. We need to fix it or else it'd just be a bloodbath." She said with an authoritative presence.

"So you've just gone off and decided that you're his replacement." The aggressive voice said.

"No. I sought out help. They're unbiased and impartial...and they'll make sure we don't all kill each other like something out of Shakespeare." All voices halted for a few moments.

"I'm rather curious. Who is it that you've brought to our doorstep?" This was the third voice. Meltwater then called out.

"You can come in now." Aqualad then turned to us.

"Here goes..."


	9. Meet The Candidates

**Jess' POV**

I saw their eyes pass over the team. Ian's steely grey offered a seemingly impassive sweep, though I knew his masked disdain when I saw it. He'd never change. Distrust was something deeply instilled in him.

Colin's gaze was much kinder, but I saw the analytical edge in it. He was figuring them out. He looked at Robin's belt like it was a Rubik's cube, some puzzle or perplexing question.

It was Anthony's expression, though, that I found most difficult to interpret. The crooked grin that had crept across his face spoke of amusement. At such a time as this, it seemed most unfitting. Only Anthony could have that expression under these circumstances. It was a look that came from _exclusive_ information. He knew things that perhaps only one other in the room could determine, though she was too polite. For all Ian's street-smarts and Colin's intellect it was perhaps Anthony who had the best grasp of the situation's nuances...

Wise-ass empath...

Yup...he was reading them all like books, AND having a good internal chuckle about it.

A well placed kick to the shin wiped the grin off his face.

**Kaldur's POV**

I looked to Meltwater, seeking a cue to speak. She nodded almost imperceptibly.

"I am Aqualad and-"

"Cut the intro Atlantian. We know who you are." Ian growled. "We are not ignorant to the goings on of the world, though why so many sidekicks would ever be gathered together is beyond me."

"A gathering of heroes is not unheard of. The league, for example, functions as a collective. We too operate that way, though in a different capacity." I met Ian's stare.

"Let me get this straight. You're a team?" Colin butted in.

"Yup. It's awesome." Wally answered.

"Jessie, you managed to convince legitimate young heroes to come to MELVILLE? How'd you manage to swing that?" Colin turned to Meltwater.

"I asked them to." She answered simply.

"Why?" Ian asked, equally as minimally.

"Because we need someone to ensure we don't make a farce of democracy when we attempt to replace Kieran, because we _will_ have to, and they have the skills we need to learn to survive the threat we face." She snapped.

"And what do _they_ plan to achieve while here? What can they possibly gain? Everything has a cost."

"While it is the policy of the League to assist without seeking gain there is, in truth, a substantial amount to be gained from this." I told him.

"Like what?"

"Friends...and allies, they are a valuable resource, and not one readily available. It would be nice to know we are not alone. Of course, that sort of gain is mutual in this incidence."

"So what, you just expect us to believe this is some '_We scratch your back, you scratch ours_' type arrangement for you? What are you playing at?"

"Not everyone is out for blood Ian. Show a little faith in the people who came across the globe primarily for your gain." Meltwater slapped Ian upside the head.

"You trust them?" He questioned.

"Implicitly." She stated.


	10. Divided

**Artemis' POV**

It wasn't a large hall, but even then it wasn't entirely full. The smallness of the crowd allowed for faces to be clearly distinguished.

Faces that looked upon the speaker with horror and disbelief.

...

"All we can do now is move forward. As long as we have legs upon which to stand, we shall walk. Though which path we shall take is uncertain, we shall choose it together, walk it together, reach its end together, as we always have." Meltwater finished, retaking her seat amongst the senior Fantails. Her goggles had frosted over again, but her posture remained strong. Her impassive face and gently clasped hands portrayed little of the inner turmoil that was evidenced by gently frosting breath and increasingly pale skin.

There had been no wavering in her voice as she had spoken.

I'd seen her break down telling us the news, but here she was announcing her mentor's death with surprising composure. To my left, Zatanna listened with rapt interest. My attention, however. was mostly on the crowd. Mostly teens, some obviously younger, all potential powerhouses and all inexperienced. We had our work cut out for us.

…

**Jess' POV**

I listened in an abstract way. I heard the words, perhaps even understood their meanings, but I was caught in a vortex of my own thoughts. The more I said it, the more final it seemed. Kieran was dead. He was gone. We were alone.

"Votes will be taken in three days time. You have until then to make your decision. For these three days, the senior Fantails will act as co-leaders, each having authority over individuals of their own Power-grouping. The Justice League Mentees will liaison between groups. Yes, we are acting as if divided, but until we have solidarity in leadership we cannot be unified in action. Thank you," Colin finished crisply.

…

**Wally's POV**

"You spoke well Colin," Jess said.

"As did you," he replied. He caught her in a brief, one-armed embrace.

"What's this about Power-groupings?" I asked.

"Oh, well, while our powers vary, there are fundamental similarities in the characteristics of our abilities." Colin seemed a little caught off guard, but then again he kind of always did. "There's the Sensitivities and Perceptions - Anthony's field, Miss Martian's telepathy and Superboy's infrared vision would come under this category - Enhancements and Augmentations - Ian's specialty, superspeed and superstrength, that sort of thing - Kinesis and Manipulation - Jess' forte, Aqualad and Miss Martian have powers of this type - And lastly, there's...uh Abstract and Absurd - Miss Martian's shapeshifting, the Magician Girl's powers, a bit of a meta-human miscellany really."

"How'd you know all our powers?" I can understand him knowing some, but with that kind of detail…

"Oh, uh, most of my powers do fall in the Abstract bundle, but I've got a decent slice of the Sensitivities and Perceptions pie, as it were. I have a particular knack for knowing people's capabilities. Comes in handy around here."

"I'll bet it does."


End file.
